Students raise concerns as class 11 admissions delayed to May 26
The delay has left many students anxious, especially those from under-resourced backgrounds, who were already struggling to navigate the fully digital admission system
The Class 11 online admission process, originally scheduled to begin on May 21, has now been deferred to May 26 following a complete system crash due to technical glitches. The school education department confirmed the revised date on its official website, stating the process will begin at 11 AM on Monday.
The delay has left many students anxious, especially those from under-resourced backgrounds, who were already struggling to navigate the fully digital admission system.
“I just passed my 10th, and everything is moving too quickly. I haven’t even gathered all the documents yet. Now the website won’t work for four more days, and I’m worried I might miss the deadline,” said Amruta Virkar, a student from Pune.
This year, the admission process is being conducted entirely online through a single application portal that allows students to select colleges across the state. But on the very first day of launch, the system collapsed, forcing authorities to suspend the process.
For students like Lawnya Salunkhe from Nagar Parishad School in Alandi, the crash added to the existing digital divide.
“We don’t have a proper internet connection, and sometimes after filling everything out, the data just vanishes. The earlier offline process was far less stressful. When the site crashed, I panicked,” she said.
Parents and students from rural areas are calling for a return to at least a hybrid model of admissions, citing limited access to smartphones and internet services.
“My father is a daily wage worker, and we don’t understand these online forms. We had to go to a cyber cafe, and they asked for a lot of money,” said Manoj Rathod, a Class 10 graduate from Modern High School.
According to the revised timetable, students can apply for admissions between May 26 and June 3. The first general merit list will be released on June 5, and objections can be raised on June 6 and 7. The final merit list will be published on June 8.
“There’s a lot of confusion. We haven’t received our marksheet and transfer certificate yet, which are required for the form. The website takes too long to upload documents, and I keep getting errors during email verification,” said Arpita Parkar, a student of Modern English School, Junnar.
However, officials maintain that the system is accessible. “Nowadays, everything can be done on a mobile phone. There’s no need for a laptop or cybercafe,” said Mahesh Palkar, Director of School Education. “We’ve extended the deadline, and students can apply in every round. I don’t think anyone will be left out.”
Still, with just days left until the new deadline, students across the state remain wary about their prospects in a process that has already tested their patience.
